Certificate in Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Systems

Program Overview

The Certificate in Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Systems (COHSES) program provides a comprehensive understanding of OHS concerns and solutions through a systems-based approach. It consists of 13 mandatory courses, offering 450 contact hours of education, and covers topics such as hazard identification, risk assessment, safety management, and environmental management. Students can complete the program full-time in 11 months or part-time in 22 months, with flexibility and support from faculty members and online resources.

Program Outline

Outline:

The Certificate in Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Systems (COHSES) program is a new learning initiative that focuses on a systems- and process-based approach to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) concerns and solutions. The COHSES program is part of the progression of becoming an established OHS practitioner or professional. It will focus on improving the ability to identify, prioritize and manage workplace hazards and risks, and provide students with necessary communication considerations to provide leadership guidance on safety, health and environment management issues in a variety of work environments. The COHSES program consists of self-paced material and includes 13 mandatory courses which provide a total of 450 contact hours of education delivery. Students progress through the program in 8-week terms and will receive guidance and feedback from a Faculty Member. Students also have 24 hours a day, 7 days a week access to a comprehensive online library which provides students access to texts, articles, publications and additional resources. Specific modules include:

• OHS 100 – Introduction to OHSE
• OHS 105 – Organizational Development & Behaviour
• OHS 110 – Leadership & Communication
• OHS 115 – Incident Investigation & Response
• OHS 120 – Safety Training: An Introduction to the Fundamental Principles
• OHS 125 – Safety Management Systems
• OHS 130 – Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment & Control
• OHS 135 – Law & Ethics
• OHS 140 – Industrial/Occupational Hygiene
• OHS 145 – Fire Management
• OHS 150 – Environmental Management
• OHS 155 – Fundamentals of Auditing
• OHS 1000 – Guided Practicum

Careers:

A career in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) can lead to a wide range of opportunities. OHS professionals are working as health and safety consultants and coordinators, ergonomics and safety specialists, quality assurance professionals, health and safety officers, safety inspectors, occupational hygienists, safety project officers and safety specialists.